Bills sign K Coutu; Rayner to I-R

Dave Rayner replaced long time kicker Rian Lindell on the active roster in midseason after a shoulder injury sent Lindell to injured reserve. Now an injury has forced Rayner to that same injured reserve list prompting Buffalo to sign their third kicker this season.

The Bills signed Brandon Coutu (pronounced Ca-TWO) Wednesday after placing Rayner on I-R.

Coutu was most recently on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad, but was released Dec. 17th. The 5-11, 194-pound Georgia product entered the NFL as a seventh-round (235th overall) draft choice of Seattle in 2008.

He spent his rookie season on the Seahawks roster, but was inactive for all 16 games. Coutu was released prior to the 2009 regular season and re-joined the Seahawks on July 31, 2011 before being released on August 22nd. Coutu will wear No. 10.

In 43 games at Georgia, Coutu converted 51-of-64 field goals and all 109 extra point attempts for 262 points – the sixth-best total in school history.

Rayner is the 17th player to go on injured reserve for the Bills this season. He appeared in seven games for Buffalo in 2011 going 10-15 on field goal attempts.